Opinions wanted on Lincoln Boulevard

LINCOLN BLVD — Residents and merchants along Lincoln Boulevard are being encouraged to participate in two surveys to help transform the bustling street into an attractive, pedestrian-friendly, neighborhood-serving street that reflects the needs of those who live and work there.

The Lincoln Boulevard Task Force, which was formed in February, is working with city planners on breathing new life into Lincoln. The task force includes representatives from several neighborhood groups, said task force Chair Roger Swanson in a news release issued Monday.

The surveys, one for residents and another for business owners, are online and can be accessed by visiting www.opa-sm.org/lincoln

Discussions with city planners so far have been preliminary, Swanson said.

“The current activity of the task force anticipates the city’s public design process that will start next year, and the two surveys will allow the community to lead the design process rather than have outside interests determine what improvements are made,” Swanson said.

The surveys address a variety of issues, from streetscape design (trees, medians and public art) to priority bus lanes and the re-use of existing buildings, to traffic speed and additional crosswalks.

The resident survey is for all Santa Monicans. The business survey is designed to get opinions of businesses already located on Lincoln Boulevard south of Interstate 10, as well as those considering re-locating to Lincoln.